A web-based participatory GIS (PGIS) for offshore wind farm suitability within Lake Erie, Ohio

This study presents the design and implementation of a web-based Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) framework intended for offshore wind suitability analysis. The PGIS prototype presented here integrates GIS and decision-making tools that are intended to involve different stakeholders and the public for solving complex planning problems and building consensus. Public involvement from the early planning stage of projects with a spatial nature is very important for future legitimacy and acceptance of these projects. Therefore, developing and executing a system that facilitates effective public involvement for resolving contentious issues can help in fostering long-lasting agreements. The prototype here is a distributed and asynchronous PGIS that combines a discussion forum, a mapping tool and a decision tool. The potential strengths and benefits of this PGIS are demonstrated in a hypothetical case study in Lake Erie, northern Ohio. In the hypothetical case study, participants evaluate the importance of three decision alternatives using different evaluation criteria for expressing their individual preferences. The individual preferences are aggregated by Borda Count (BC) method for generating the group solution, which is used for synthesizing the different evaluation aspects such as the importance of criteria, ranking of the decision alternatives and planning issues related to environmental and socio-economic concerns from the participants.